After dying, Ken William found himself in a bewildering landscape, enveloped by an all-consuming darkness that left him disoriented and vulnerable. As he struggled to make sense of his surroundings, a creeping fear tightened its grip on his throat, urging him to forge ahead despite his uncertainty.
"Am I dead? Or am I in a coma and all this is leftover oxygen talking in my head?" he asked himself, his voice echoing in the void.
Deep in the depths of this inky abyss, a torrent of questions flooded his mind, each more perplexing than the last. These doubts clouded his thoughts as he fumbled for solid ground, for anything that might anchor him in this surreal realm.
He was standing, but when he looked down, there was nothing to stand on, as if land did not exist. There was only pitch-black darkness beneath his feet. Ken's quest for familiarity led him not to solid structures or recognisable landmarks but to vast numbers of bubbles dancing in the void.
Curiosity warring with dread, he pushed against one, expecting a satisfying pop. But his hand met nothing; the bubble moved out of the way. Despite his attempts to touch them, he found that he could not make contact with these ethereal spheres.
A faint light flickered in the distance, drawing him forward. As he approached, he could see a figure blowing bubbles. Before he could speak, the person turned to face him.
Ken's breath hitched. It wasn't a human, not in the traditional sense. The being radiated an otherworldly luminescence, its form shifting and swirling like smoke. A voice, both deep and melodious, filled the air.
"Hello, Mr. William," the voice said, bringing a wave of relief to Ken.
"Is this heaven or hell?" Ken blurted, his words tumbling out quickly.
The being chuckled and replied, "Neither, Mr. William. This place is beyond heaven or hell."
Confusion etched itself across Ken's face. "If this is not heaven or hell, then where am I?"
The mysterious being replied, "This is... the celestial void. A place where you come face-to-face with choices not given to many and where imagination is forged into reality and reality back into imagination."
Scepticism flickered in Ken's eyes. "Are you God of the afterlife?"
The being's form rippled. "Well, that's a tough question," they replied. "I am and I am not. A god is a mortal construct. Compared to that, I am much more."
Ken thought about this for a moment before speaking again. "Why am I here?"
"You have to make some decisions, and I am here to give you options and support you in making those choices," the mysterious being smiled and remarked.
The being blew another bubble, and Ken watched as it floated away into the darkness until it disappeared. He had never met anyone who believed in the existence of gods, let alone someone who claimed to be something beyond a god. He had always been a firm believer in science and logic, and the idea of supernatural entities seemed absurd to him.
He looked at the being with newfound curiosity. "Who are you then, Mr. 'More than a god'?"
The being blew another bubble and said, "I am a concept and idea of birth and beginnings, Mr. William. A force that exists beyond your limited understanding."
Ken wasn't convinced. Science and logic were his guiding lights, and this defied everything he knew. Yet as he gazed at the swirling bubbles, a doubt gnawed at his certainty. Perhaps the universe held more mysteries than he dared to believe.
Suddenly, Ken heard a popping sound behind him. He turned to look and was shocked to see another similar being grinning wickedly.
"I did not even realise someone was behind me," Ken remarked.
"I am the 'End'. Well, as my name implies, people usually do not see me coming." The new being shot back, popping a few bubbles. "You may also address me as the End."
"And you call me Mr. Beginning" the other figure said.
Ken felt a chill run down his spine as he realised the full extent of Mr. End's power just from his name alone. He had a feeling that this being was not to be trifled with.
"Mr. End, so this is it?" Ken finally choked out. "My judgement?"
Mr. End chuckled, making a sound like cracking ice. "Perhaps. But first, my brother has some more explaining to do."
As Ken stood between these two cosmic forces, Mr. Beginning and Mr. End, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and trepidation. The implications of their existence and the powers they wielded were beyond anything he had ever imagined. He realised that his journey was just beginning, and the choices he would have to make might have consequences far beyond his comprehension.
Ken's gaze darted around the cavernous space, drawn to the countless shimmering bubbles that drifted in the vast nothingness. Each pulsated with an inner light, hinting at something far more profound than mere decorations.
"Mr. Beginning," he finally mustered, gesturing towards the luminous spheres, "what are those bubbles? They can't be ordinary, can they?"
Mr. Beginning chuckled, his laughter echoing through the void. "Ah, a keen observation, Mr. William. No, these are not mere bubbles. See for yourself. Go ahead and examine one. Peer into its depths and witness the wonders it holds."
With curiosity burning brighter than ever, Ken tentatively reached out. To his surprise, the bubble didn't touch his fingers but hovered mere inches above his outstretched palm, defying the laws of physics he knew. With bated breath, he leaned in and peered into its incandescent depths.
What he saw within was beyond his wildest imaginings. It wasn't just a simple sphere of air but a portal to another world entirely—no, an entire reality unto itself. His vision delved deeper, traversing galaxies and observing stars, planets, and celestial bodies in all their majestic splendour.
One particular blue planet caught his eye, its familiarity tugging at something deep within his consciousness. Yet, as he studied it closer, he realised that, while similar, it was subtly different from the Earth he knew.
"Is that... Earth?" Ken asked, his voice filled with wonder.
Mr. Beginning's voice echoed softly around him. "No, it's not called Earth. Mr. William, it is called Planet Vegeta by its occupants. We are quite fond of stories born from there; you might too have heard them also."
As Ken stood there, overwhelmed and disoriented, his gaze was drawn back to the bubbles, each one pulsating with an inner light that seemed to beckon him closer. "Universes," he breathed, the word tumbling from his lips in a reverent whisper.
Mr. Beginning smiled, his voice a comforting rumble. "Indeed, Mr. William. Multiverses, to be precise. And collectively, all of them are called the infinite-verse. But you've grasped the essence, it seems."
Ken couldn't believe what he was hearing—what he had just witnessed. A tremor of awe ran through him as he contemplated the implications of Mr. Beginning's words. He had glimpsed sights and wonders that would drive mere mortals mad with their incomprehensible grandeur.
"But why show me this?" Ken finally found his voice, his words laced with a tremulous mix of wonder and trepidation. "Why grant me this glimpse into infinity? What is my role in all this?"
Mr. End's response was blunt, almost casual in its delivery, a stark contrast to the weight of his words. "Why else? To broaden your horizons, of course. To give you a taste of the grand scale of things so that you can make an informed decision. It's like showing you the menu before you order at a restaurant."
Ken's brow furrowed, his mind grappling with the implications of Mr. End's words. "From all the people in my universe, why me?" he finally asked, unable to contain his curiosity any longer. The question hung in the air, weightless yet heavy with significance, as Ken awaited an answer that could potentially redefine his understanding of existence itself.